CHICAGO – There is no better time to take in a stage play that is based in U.S. history, depicting the battle between fact and religion. The old theater chestnut – first mounted in 1955 – is “Inherit the Wind,” now at the Goodman Theatre, completing it’s short run through October 20th. For tickets and more information, click INHERIT.
HollywoodChicago.com Movie Reviews
‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’ is the Darkest, Loneliest Potter Film Yet
Submitted by HollywoodChicago.com on November 22, 2010 - 3:02am Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – While “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” is the most murky and forlorn Potter film yet, its most grave battle is the internal question between the corporate and creative types. Did the splitting of a single finale film into two parts truly improve on its ability to impart this grand tale or was it purely for financial reaping? From what we see in part one of the seventh film in this franchise, it turns out the answer is a lot of both.
Isabelle Huppert Gives Daring Performance in Excellent ‘White Material’
Submitted by BrianTT on November 19, 2010 - 2:58pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Can dedication overcome all odds? Film has taught us for years that it is the truly justified, righteous, and committed that will prevail. Of course, life is not that simple. And the films of the masterful French director Claire Denis often brilliantly portray the true complexity of life. Her newest film, “White Material,” completes an amazing 2010 one-two punch with the excellent “35 Shots of Rum” released earlier this year. She’s one of our best international filmmakers.
Excellent ‘Monsters’ Finds Humanity in Creature Feature
Submitted by BrianTT on November 19, 2010 - 12:19pmRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Monsters” is a unique take on the giant creature genre that focuses more on the people below than the aliens above. Gareth Edwards’ highly-buzzed film could easily be read as a parable for life in an increasingly-dangerous, post-9/11 world and that ambitious subtext alone makes it one of the more intellectually captivating genre films of the year but it’s also shockingly-touching.
Russell Crowe Goes Hitchcockian in Taut ‘The Next Three Days’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 19, 2010 - 10:04am Rating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The suspense thriller is a delicate art that depends on situational realism and unlikely circumstances cohabiting in a heart-pounding plot. The Master of the genre was Alfred Hitchcock, who often put ordinary people in these nail biting scenarios. Director Paul Haggis (”Crash”) uses this theme and does the Master proud in “The Next Three Days.”
Denzel Washington, Chris Pine Star in Slick, Entertaining ‘Unstoppable’
Submitted by BrianTT on November 12, 2010 - 8:46am Rating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – “Unstoppable” plays perfectly to Tony Scott’s flashy strengths as a director. There’s no deep meaning or character-driven dialogue for him to clutter up with his style over substance aesthetic. And so the film truly works as a great slice of escapist entertainment as long as you know what to expect.
James Franco, Danny Boyle Elevate Harrowing Saga of ‘127 Hours’
Submitted by BrianTT on November 12, 2010 - 8:35amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – What separates us during extreme danger? Why do some people collapse under the weight of likely death while others push forward and make it out alive? What fuels the will to survive to the point that it can do the unimaginable? Aron Ralston has surely thought about his personal answers to these questions and Danny Boyle’s riveting film about his defining incident, “127 Hours,” now brings them to millions of captivated fans in theaters around the world.
‘Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer’ Recounts Political Saga
Submitted by BrianTT on November 12, 2010 - 8:26amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO –“He was going to be our first Jewish President.” This uncredited sound bite from the opening of “Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer” may sound like an exaggeration but the great Alex Gibney makes the case that it is not hyperbole and that the public pedestal-knocking that happened to the former Governor was more important than you probably think. Arguably the best year in the history of the documentary continues with another strong film from one of our best non-fiction filmmakers.
‘Four Lions’ Dares to Humanize Terrorists Through Satire
Submitted by mattmovieman on November 12, 2010 - 7:56amRating: 4.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – If the objective of war is to drain the enemy of all humanity, then “Four Lions” is one of the best anti-war movies in recent years. Many people prefer thinking of terrorists in the same abstract terms that the terrorists themselves think of their victims. If war is all about demonizing “the other side,” how can we ever hope to come to a mutual understanding?
Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams Charm in ‘Morning Glory’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 10, 2010 - 9:11amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The Holiday Season for films is populated by epic crowd pleasers and artsy Oscar bait. In between are the warm popcorn movies that don’t attempt to be anything except what they are. Harrison Ford, Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton and Patrick Wilson illustrate that cinematic point in the appealing and accessible “Morning Glory.”
‘Megamind’ With Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt Barely Wins Animated Fight
Submitted by BrianTT on November 5, 2010 - 5:25pm Rating: 3.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Being a super-villain is apparently going out of style as “Megamind” follows relatively quickly on the heels of “Despicable Me” and both tell the story of a bad guy realizing that it’s more fun to be good. The title character of “Megamind” (Will Ferrell) is a nefarious super-powered fellow who has just barely lost every fight he’s had with the beloved Metroman (Brad Pitt).
Sean Penn, Naomi Watts Revive Valerie Plame in ‘Fair Game’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 5, 2010 - 10:10amRating: 4.0/5.0 |
CHICAGO – The key line in “Fair Game,” a distillation of Valerie Plame’s outing as a CIA operative in 2003, is intoned by character actor Bruce McGill, in a scene reminiscent of the “Mr. X” moment in the “JFK” movie. Pointing to the White House and the Bush Administration, he simply says, “there are the most powerful men in the history of the world.”
Cluttered, Melodramatic ‘For Colored Girls’ Never Comes Together
Submitted by BrianTT on November 5, 2010 - 9:20am Rating: 2.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – Ntozake Shange’s choreopoem “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf” was a landmark event in 1974, giving voice to a segment of society rarely seen on the stage. It took 34 years for a filmmaker to tackle this remarkable work in film form and Tyler Perry’s “For Colored Girls” retains some of the inherent power of it source and features some strong performances in the process but never finds the narrative cohesion needed to translate it to modern movie audiences.
Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis Are an Odd Pair in Funny ‘Due Date’
Submitted by PatrickMcD on November 5, 2010 - 2:27amRating: 3.5/5.0 |
CHICAGO – There is a strong temptation to lead this review with “Hey, ‘Due Date,’ ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ just called, they want their plot back,” but this Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis star vehicle drives on its own strange vibe, part road trip and part comedy that depends on suspension of all reality. Yet it mostly works.
